Open/close body control equipment and method

Abstract

A sliding door of a vehicle is braked in accordance with a position of the door. The braking is controlled such that the door speed is greater at the beginning of a door-opening or door-closing operation than at the end of the door-opening or door closing operation.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. An apparatus comprising: 
       a member having an opening;  
       an open/close body movably mounted on the member for opening and closing the opening;  
       a driving mechanism which generates a driving force to move the open/close body;  
       a clutch mechanism which controls transmission of the driving force from the driving mechanism to the open/close body;  
       a detecting mechanism which detects at least a position of the open/close body and a moving speed of the open/close body;  
       a controller which determines a pre-set speed threshold value based on the position of the open/close body detected by the detecting mechanism;  
       a brake mechanism operably connected to the detecting mechanism and the controller which restricts the movement of the open/close body based on a comparison between the speed of the open/close body detected by the detecting mechanism and the pre-set speed threshold value determined by the controller, the brake mechanism being operated to restrict movement of the open/close body when the driving force is not transmitted from the driving mechanism to the open/close body by the clutch mechanism.  
     
     
       2. The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the pre-set threshold speed for an opening of the open/close body is lowest at a position of the open/close body adjacent a fully open state, and the pre-set threshold speed for a closing of the open/close body is lowest at a position of the body adjacent a fully closed state. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the pre-set threshold speed for an opening of the open/close body is highest when the open/close body begins an opening movement, and the pre-set threshold speed for a closing of the open/close body is highest when the open/close body begins a closing movement. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the member is a vehicle, and the open/close body is a slidable door. 
     
     
       5. A method of controlling a speed of an open/close body which opens and closes an opening in a member, comprising: 
       detecting at least a position of the open/close body and a moving speed of the open/close body;  
       determining a threshold speed based on the detected position of the open/close body;  
       comparing the detected moving speed of the open/close body with the threshold speed; and  
       restricting the speed of the open/close body when the detected moving speed of the open/close body is larger than the threshold speed.  
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 5  wherein the threshold speed of the open/close body is greater at the beginning of an opening operation than at the end of the opening operation. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 5  wherein the threshold speed of the open/close body is greater at the beginning of a door closing operation than at the end of the closing operation. 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 5  wherein the member is a vehicle, and the open/close body is a sliding door. 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 5  wherein the open/close body is moved by a driving force generated by a driving mechanism, and including operating a brake mechanism to restrict the speed of the open/close body when the detected moving speed of the open/close body is larger than the threshold speed under a condition in which the driving force is not transmitted from the driving mechanism to the open/close body. 
     
     
       10. An apparatus comprising: 
       a member having an opening;  
       an open/close body movably mounted on the member for opening and closing the opening;  
       a driving mechanism which generates a driving force to move the open/close body;  
       a clutch mechanism which controls transmission of the driving force from the driving mechanism to the open/close body;  
       a detecting mechanism which detects a position of the open/close body, a moving speed of the open/close body and a moving direction of the open/close body;  
       a controller which determines a pre-set speed threshold value based on the position and the moving direction of the open/close body detected by the detecting mechanism; and  
       a brake mechanism operably connected to the detecting mechanism and the controller which restricts the movement of the open/close body when the speed of the open/close body detected by the detecting mechanism is larger than the pre-set speed threshold value determined by the controller.  
     
     
       11. The apparatus according to  claim 10  wherein the pre-set threshold speed during opening of the open/close body is lowest at a position of the open/close body adjacent a fully opened state. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus according to  claim 10  wherein the pre-set threshold speed during closing of the open/close body is lowest at a position of the open/close body adjacent a fully closed state. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus according to  claim 10  wherein the member having the opening is a vehicle and the open/close body comprises a sliding door of the vehicle.